The Immortalist: Uploading The Mind Of A Computer

Digital Immortality and Uploading the Brain are two futuristic hypothetical concepts. Uploading the Brain is the process of transferring mental data (memory, personality, etc.) from a biological mind to a computer. Digital immortality is the concept of storing a person’s personality in a durable digital media. Uploading involves the emulation of brain patterns. It can be done by replacing neurons with implants in a computer one by one till the entire brain is replaced. This process, however, is going to be extremely slow and will require the advanced nanotechnology. It can also be done by scanning and mapping the whole brain, and then copying it in a computer. However, this process is not going to be as effective as replacing neurons; since it gets only an image of the brain.

As per the futurists, uploading the brain as a means of extending life in the form of a mapped brain (known as a SIM, Substrate Independent Mind) can reside in a robot or humanoid long after the human life has ended. A substrate independent mind can operate anywhere on any medium, be it a biological brain, a robot, a humanoid or within a software executed in a computer. The substrate independent mind can also be installed in another human body. Futurists claim that with uploading, humanity can have the chance to preserve the identity of the endangered species. With successful mind uploading, backups of human brains can be made, copying of information as a means of learning can be implemented, and backups can be restored. With uploading and digital immortality, there is no limit to what the humanity can achieve as the brilliant brains of the great men in any field can be kept immortal and in a usable state when passed on to a humanoid or a robot or another human body.